1. Sometimes the Moon looks like a full circle, sometimes it looks like a half circle, and sometimes it
looks like a crescent. Explain why the Moon appears to be different shapes at different times. You
may use labeled drawings in your explanation.
NAEP released item, grade 8
Question 1
Scoring Guide
Score & Description
Complete
Student explanation includes all the points given below. Student can provide a drawing correctly
illustrating the phases of the moon.
a. The Moon is visible because it reflects (or is illuminated by) sunlight.
b. The Moon revolves around the Earth.
c. The portion of the illuminated half of the Moon that is visible from Earth changes, thus
making the Moon appear to change shape.
Partial
Student explains 1 or 2 aspects of the causes of the phases of the Moon without major
misconceptions.
Unsatisfactory/Incorrect
Student does not correctly explain any aspect of the phases of the Moon, or explains aspects but
includes major misconceptions.
Complete - Student Response
1 Sometimes the Moon looks like a full circle, sometimes it looks like a half circle, and sometimes it
looks like a crescent. Explain why the Moon appears to be different shapes at different times. You
may use labeled drawings in your explanation.
NAEP released item, grade 8
1 Sometimes the Moon looks like a full circle, sometimes it looks like a half circle, and sometimes it
looks like a crescent. Explain why the Moon appears to be different shapes at different times. You
may use labeled drawings in your explanation.
Scorer Comments:
The first response includes both a drawing and an explanation, each of which provide complete
responses. The second response provides a complete explanation referring to all three points
required.
Partial - Student Response
1 Sometimes the Moon looks like a full circle, sometimes it looks like a half circle, and sometimes it
looks like a crescent. Explain why the Moon appears to be different shapes at different times. You
may use labeled drawings in your explanation.
NAEP released item, grade 8
1 Sometimes the Moon looks like a full circle, sometimes it looks like a half circle, and sometimes it
looks like a crescent. Explain why the Moon appears to be different shapes at different times.You
may use labeled drawings in your explanation.
Scorer Comments:
The first response addresses only the fact that the Moon reflects sunlight and, in the diagram, that
a portion of the Moon is illuminated. The second response addresses only the fact that the Moon
revolves around the Earth.
NAEP released item, grade 8
1
1
Unsatisfactory/Incorrect - Student Response
Sometimes the Moon looks like a full circle, sometimes it looks like a half circle, and sometimes it
looks like a crescent. Explain why the Moon appears to be different shapes at different times.You
may use labeled drawings in your explanation.
Sometimes the Moon looks like a full circle, sometimes it looks like a half circle, and sometimes it
looks like a crescent. Explain why the Moon appears to be different shapes at different times.You
may use labeled drawings in your explanation.
NAEP released item, grade 8
Scorer Comments:
The first response provides an incorrect explanation that is a common misconception: the Earth’s
shadow falls onto the Moon. The second response lacks an explanation of the phases or a drawing
that can substitute for an explanation of the phases.
NAEP released item, grade 8
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Percentage of Students
Unsatisfactory/incorrect
76%
Partial
18%
Complete
3%
Omitted
3%
Off task
1%
Note:
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These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
The Fields of Science: Earth & Space Sciences (Sub content classification: Earth in Space)
Knowing and Doing Science : Conceptual Understanding
NAEP released item, grade 8
The Fields of Science
Earth & Space Sciences
This question measures basic knowledge and understanding of the following:
Earth in Space
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setting of the Earth in the solar system;
setting and evolution of the solar system in the universe (not in grade 4);
tools and technology that are used to gather information about space;
apparent daily motions of the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars;
rotation of the Earth about its axis, and the Earth's revolution around the Sun;
tilt of the Earth's axis that produces seasonal variations in climate; and
earth as a unique member of the solar system that may be approximated in other galaxies in
the universe, and that evolved at least 4.5 billion years ago.
Knowing and Doing Science
Conceptual Understanding
Conceptual understanding includes the body of scientific knowledge that students draw upon when
conducting a scientific investigation or engaging in practical reasoning. Essential scientific concepts
involve a variety of information, including facts and events the student learns from both science
instruction and experiences with natural environment; and scientific concepts, principles, laws, and
theories that scientists use to explain and predict observations of the natural world.
NAEP released item, grade 8